Modified deformed reinforcement fibers, methods of making, and uses

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to modified reinforcement fibers for use in a variety of applications. The modification includes crimping linear or straight reinforcement fibers to create a deformed or different shaped reinforcement fiber. Examples of the shaped fibers resulting from crimping include w-shaped, s-shaped, z-shaped and wedge-shaped.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 61/788,322 entitled “Modified ReinforcementFibers, Methods of Making, and Uses” filed in the United States Patentand Trademark Office on Mar. 15, 2013, which is incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to modified reinforcement fibers,methods of making, and uses therefor. In particular, the reinforcementfibers of the invention are modified by deformation, such as bycrimping.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various reinforcement fibers and their use in a wide variety ofapplications are known in the art. For example, it is known to addreinforcement fibers to building materials, such as concrete, includingasphalt cement concrete and portland cement concrete and the like, toadd strength, toughness, and durability, and to improve the integrity ofthe cement properties. For example, it is known in the art to addreinforcement fibers to concrete to reduce or prevent cracks. Typicalreinforcement fibers that are added to concrete include, for example,asbestos fibers, glass fibers, steel fibers, mineral fibers, naturalfibers, synthetic fibers (such as polymer and aramid fibers), andcellulose fibers. Some reinforcement fibers are better suited forparticular applications than others. For example, asbestos fibers areknown to provide effective reinforcement but, due to environmental andhealth concerns these fibers, are not extensively used. In addition,some fibers are relatively expensive.

Reinforcement fibers are also generally known for use in the drillingindustry. Oil, gas and other subterranean wells are made by drilling aborehole into the ground. As the rotating drill works its way throughthe geological formations, the drill becomes hot and debris from thecuttings, such as rock, dirt and clay, accumulates and fills the hole. Aliquid, such as fresh water, salt water or a water and oil mixture, iscirculated downwardly through a drill pipe and drill bit and thenupwardly through the annulus created between the drill pipe and the wallof the borehole to carry debris out of the borehole, and simultaneouslyto cool and lubricate the drill. However, the liquid alone typicallydoes not remove enough debris. To improve the levels of debris removal,additives are injected within the liquid through the drill pipe into thewell bore. Reinforcement fibers are known in the art for use as anadditive to drilling liquids to increase the levels of debris removal.The addition of reinforcement fibers to drilling liquids increases thecarrying capacity without increasing the viscosity of the liquid.

In addition to debris removal, reinforcement fibers are added todrilling liquids as a lost circulation material to prevent fluid lossthrough fissures and pores in the geological formations. Lostcirculation generally refers to the undesirable loss of at least aportion of drilling fluid into the subterranean formation penetrated bythe well bore, for example, through porous rock or open channels in theformations. Additives in the drilling liquid can function to stem theloss of circulation fluid by sealing the permeability and channelopenings of the formations.

Furthermore, it is known to incorporate reinforcement fibers as a lostcirculation material into the cement which is used in drilling wells. Indrilling a well, a pipe string (e.g., casing and/or liner) may be runinto a well bore and cemented in place. A cement composition is pumpedinto an annulus between the walls of the wellbore and the exteriorsurface of the pipe string disposed therein. The cement composition setsin the annular space, thereby forming an annular sheath of hardened,substantially impermeable cement that supports and positions the pipestring in the wellbore and bonds the exterior source of the pipe stringto the subterranean formation. The annular sheath of set cementsurrounding the pipe string functions to prevent the migration of fluidsin the annulus. The presence of reinforcement fibers in the cement canreduce or preclude voids or cracks in the cement and therefore, reduceor preclude the flow of liquids therethrough.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention provides a modified reinforcement fiberwhich includes a reinforcement fiber having a length and a deformationformed in the length, wherein the deformation includes at least onecrimp.

In certain embodiments, there can be six or less crimps per one inchformed in the length of the reinforcement fiber.

The fiber can be composed of a material selected from polyolefin,aramid, and nylon. In certain embodiments, the fiber is composed of amaterial selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and aramid.

In another aspect, the invention provides a reinforcement fibercomposition. The composition includes a plurality of reinforcementfibers and at least a portion of the plurality of reinforcement fibersincludes a plurality of modified reinforcement fibers each having alength and a deformation formed in the length, wherein the deformationincludes at least one crimp The composition can include polyolefinreinforcement fibers, aramid reinforcement fibers, nylon reinforcementfibers and blends thereof. Further, the composition can includepolyethylene reinforcement fibers, polypropylene reinforcement fibers,aramid reinforcement fibers and blends thereof. The composition canfurther include a blend of modified reinforcement fibers andreinforcement fibers without a deformation. In certain embodiments, themodified reinforcement fibers constitute about 50 weight percent basedon total weight of the composition.

In still another aspect, the invention provides a method of preparing amodified reinforcement fiber. The method includes providing an originalreinforcement fiber having a substantially linear shape, forming adeformation in the original reinforcement fiber by forming at least onecrimp in the substantially linear shape of the fiber, and deforming thesubstantially linear shape of the original reinforcement fiber toproduce a modified reinforcement fiber.

The deforming of the substantially linear shape can include areinforcement fiber having a shape selected from the group consisting ofw-shaped, s-shaped, z-shaped and wedge-shaped.

In certain embodiments, the crimping is performed such that one or morecrimps per one inch are formed over a length of the reinforcement fiber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the invention can be gained from thefollowing description of the preferred embodiments when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are photographs which illustrate the suspension capabilityof non-crimped fibers;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B and 5 are photographs which illustrate thesuspension capability of crimped fibers, in accordance with certainembodiments of the invention;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are photographs which illustrate the suspension capabilityof non-crimped fibers;

FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9 and 10 are photographs which illustrate the suspensioncapability of crimped fibers, in accordance with certain embodiments ofthe invention;

FIG. 11 is a photograph which illustrates the nozzle alignmentcapability of crimped fibers, in accordance with certain embodiments ofthe invention; and

FIG. 12 is a photograph which illustrates the nozzle alignmentcapability of non-crimped fibers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to modified reinforcement fibers. Thereinforcement fibers are modified by deforming, such as by crimping.Conventional or original (i.e., non-deformed or non-crimped)reinforcement fibers have a substantially linear, e.g., straight,configuration or shape. The modified reinforcement fibers of theinvention include deformation of the substantially linear configurationor shape. For example, the modified reinforcement fibers include one ormore crimps formed over the length of conventional or originalreinforcement fibers. The deformed fibers can exhibit various shapes,such as but not limited to, w-shaped, s-shaped, z-shaped andwedge-shaped. The shape can depend on the number of crimps formed. Theremay be a plurality of crimps formed or implemented along the length ofthe reinforcement fiber. In certain embodiments, there can be from oneto six crimps per one inch of the length of the fiber.

The modified reinforcement fibers may be deformed or crimpedindividually However, it may be more practical given known deformationor crimping methods and apparatus to deform or crimp a plurality ofreinforcement fibers concurrently or simultaneously. Thus, in certainembodiments, a plurality of reinforcement fibers are deformed or crimpedto form a deformed or crimped bundle or clip.

A plurality of the modified reinforcement fibers can be present in acomposition or a bundle or a clip and used in various applications.

The crimping of a conventional or original non-crimped reinforcementfiber can be accomplished using conventional apparatus and methods knownin the art. The crimping can be conducted prior to or following cuttingof the fibers to a desired length.

The modified reinforcement fibers in accordance with the invention canbe used in a variety of applications. In particular, the modifiedreinforcement fibers can be used in cementitious compositions to reduceor preclude the voids and/or cracks in cement. The modifiedreinforcement fibers can be used in drilling fluids to enhance thedebris removal from a well bore and to provide lost circulationcapability. Further, the modified reinforcement fibers can be used incementitious compositions for drilling a well bore to provide crackcontrol and lost circulation capability. The modified reinforcementfibers also can be dry blended or dispersed with dry constituents in adry cement mix.

In certain embodiments, crimped fibers can be used alone or incombination with non-crimped fibers. A composition of reinforcementfibers can include only crimped fibers or a blend of crimped fibers andnon-crimped fibers. For example, a plurality of crimped fibers may beadded to a cementitious mixture or a plurality of crimped fibers andnon-crimped fibers can be added to the cementitious mixture. In certainembodiments, the non-crimped fibers can include reinforcement fibershaving a different modification, such as but not limited to, a coatingor encapsulation material. It is typical for coating and encapsulationcompositions to include polymer, non-polymer and mixtures thereof.

The amount or concentration of crimped and non-crimped fibers in thecomposition can vary. In certain embodiments, each of the crimped andnon-crimped fibers are present in a concentration of about 50 weightpercent based on total weight of the composition.

In general, reinforcement fibers can be selected from a wide variety ofsynthetic fibers and natural fibers known in the art, such as but notlimited to, polymer fibers, aramid fibers and mixtures thereof. Thepolymer fibers can include polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers,polyvinyl-chloride fibers, and mixtures thereof. The polyolefin fiberscan be selected from the group of polypropylene fibers, polyethylenefibers, and mixtures thereof.

In certain embodiments, the plurality of reinforcement fibers includeshydrophobic and/or hydrophilic fibers selected from the group consistingof polyolefin, polyester, aramid, nylon, and mixtures thereof. Inanother embodiment, the reinforcement fibers include a mixture or blendof polyethylene, polypropylene and aramid fibers.

In general, reinforcement fibers known in the art can be hydrophobic orhydrophilic by nature. In certain embodiments, wherein the reinforcementfibers are not naturally hydrophilic, they can be rendered hydrophilicby applying a hydrophilic coating, such as a surfactant, to the surfaceof the fibers.

The plurality of reinforcement fibers, individually or together incombinations and blends, can include fibers in various forms, such asfibrillated, non-fibrillated, twisted, turned, and mixtures thereof. Forexample, the fibers suitable for use in the present invention caninclude fibers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,753,081 B1 (“the '081patent”). In the '081 patent, the fiber component includes a first fibercomponent formed of a homopolymer polypropylene fiber and a second fibercomponent being a copolymer formed of a polypropylene and a high densitypolyethylene. The first fiber component is fibrillated and the secondfiber component is a twisted bundle including multiple strands of anon-fibrillating monofilament.

Further, the fibers suitable for use in the present invention caninclude fibers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,232 (“the '232patent”). In the '232 patent, the fiber includes a twisted bundlecomprised of multiple strands of a non-fibrillating monofilament havinga degree of twist greater than about 0.9 turns per inch. The '232 patentfurther discloses the twisted fiber component with another fibercomponent, discrete from the twisted fiber component, that isfibrillated.

Furthermore, the fibers suitable for use in the present invention caninclude fibers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,016,872 and 6,164,380(“the '872 patent” and “the '380 patent,” respectfully). In thesepatents, the fibers include hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic fibersselected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyester and nylon.The preferred fibers are the polyolefins, polypropylene andpolyethylene, and the most preferred is polypropylene. Further, thefibers are most preferably comprised of a plurality of filamentsprocessed in a tow form in bundles or in strips, from about one to twohundred, and preferably from two to six denier per filament, and mostpreferably from three to four denier. Alternatively, the fibers may beformed from fibrillated fibers, wherein the fibers are formed ininterconnected networks. In another embodiment, the fibers may be aplurality of non-bundled monofilaments. The fiber strips are preferablycut in lengths. The '872 patent describes lengths of from about three orfour millimeters to ten millimeters. Longer lengths may be used. Lengthsof about ten millimeters or less are preferred, and lengths betweenabout five and ten millimeters are most preferred. The '380 patentdescribes preferred lengths of from about three or four millimeters to25 millimeters. Lengths between about 10 and 15 millimeters are morepreferred and lengths of 12.5 millimeters are most preferred. The fibersmay be naturally hydrophilic or may be coated with a hydrophiliccoating, such as a surfactant. Examples of suitable fibers includepolypropylene, polyethylene, nylon and polyester. The most preferredfiber is a polypropylene coated with a hydrophilic surfactant.

Moreover, the fibers suitable for use in the present invention caninclude fibers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,195 (“the '195patent”). In this patent, the fibers include polyolefin, polyolefinderivative, polyester, polyamide, or a mixture thereof. The fibers arein the form of a bundle and each bundle includes 50 to 5000 filaments.The aspect ratio, i.e., the ratio between length and diameter, of theindividual filaments is typically about 200 to 800.

The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,168,232; 6,753,081; 6,164,380;6,016,872; and 5,399,195 are incorporated herein by reference.

In certain embodiments, conventional or original reinforcement fibersare crimped by employing a crimper box, e.g., tow crimper, which iscommercially available, for example, from DM&E Corporation. Theconventional or original, e.g., un-crimped, reinforcement fibers areloaded into the crimper box which stuffs and bends the crimps into thefibers. The crimper box allows a plurality of fibers to be crimped atthe same time. However, the crimper box has been found to be generallyslow and require significant maintenance. Thus, alternatively,conventional or original, e.g., un-crimped, reinforcement fibers may bemechanically crimped by running the fibers through a gear or set ofgears to provide the crimps. For either method of crimping, the fiberscan be crimped while cold or hot. For example, the fibers can be crimpedfollowing the tow being pulled out of a box or the fibers can be crimpedfollowing extrusion.

The number of crimps formed in the length of the reinforcement fiber canvary. In general, the number of crimps should be sufficient to provideimproved properties while maintaining the form of the fibers; e.g., inthe form of a bundle, clip or multi-filament. Further, the number ofcrimps should be sufficient to preclude “fluffing” (e.g., cotton ballconfiguration) and to minimize clumping of the fibers. For example, morecrimps may result in “fluffing” of particular fibers. In certainembodiments, the fibers can include six or less crimps per inch. Inother embodiments, the fibers may include six or more crimps per inch.

Without intending to be bound by any particular theory, it is believedthat the crimped reinforcement fibers can impart improved properties,such as, at least one of improved reinforcement properties, improvedalignment properties and improved suspension properties. The improvedalignment and suspension properties allow the modified reinforcementfibers to serve as carriers for other particles and fibers, andtherefore the crimped reinforcement fibers can be especially effectiveas lost circulation material.

In the invention, the denier of the modified reinforcement fibers canvary. The denier of the fibers can depend on the material of the fiber,the configuration (e.g., monofilament, bundled, fibrillated,non-fibrillated, twisted, and turned), and their intended use (e.g.,improved strength, debris removal, and lost circulation). In certainembodiments, the denier is about 4.0.

In the invention, the reinforcement fibers to be modified can behydrophilic or hydrophobic.

The modified fibers of the invention can include known reinforcementfibers (e.g., non-crimped), including those above-described, which arecrimped by being subjected to a deformation modification process, andthen combined with known asphalt and portland cement concrete mixtures.

The crimped reinforcement fibers of the invention can be used inapplications wherein non-crimped fibers are employed, such as liquids(e.g., drilling liquid) and liquid mixtures or slurries (e.g., wetconcrete mixtures or slurries). For example, the crimpedfiber-containing composition can be added to drilling liquids to enhancedebris removal from a well bore and to improve lost circulation in awell bore. Further, the crimped fiber-containing composition can beadded to wet concrete mixtures to improve strength. In drillingoperations, the crimped fiber-containing composition can be added tocement which is pumped into a well bore to improve lost circulation inthe well bore. In another embodiment, the crimped fiber-containingcomposition can be added to a concrete mixing machine or associatedmachinery, or in a hopper, or in a transportation vehicle, or afterdischarge from the mixing machine or associated machinery, or the hopperor the transportation vehicle. In certain embodiments, the crimpedfiber-containing composition can be dispersed in the concrete materialin the concrete mixing machine, or in associated machinery locatedeither up-line or down-line from the mixing machine.

The amount of modified reinforcement fibers employed can depend on thetype of mixture (e.g., wet mixture or dry mixture) and the intendedfunction or use (e.g., improved strength, debris removal, and lostcirculation).

The modified reinforcement fibers of the invention can be used to form areinforcement fiber composition. The composition can include optionaladditives and fillers. Non-limiting examples include fly ash, silicacompounds, wetting agent (e.g., surfactant), dispersant, accelerator,retarder, defoamer, and the like. For example, mineral fillers caninclude kaolin clay, calcium carbonate, barites, titanium dioxide, andmixtures thereof. Furthermore, vitrified shales are suitable for use,such as those including silicon, aluminum, calcium, and/or magnesium. Incertain embodiments, when the modified fiber composition is used indrilling and/or cementing a well bore, it can optionally include mica orsilica, such as for example, the product commercially available fromForta Corporation under the trade name PhenoSeal®. In other embodiments,the modified fiber composition can be employed in drilling operations asa hole cleaning and debris removing agent. Further, in this embodiment,the modified fiber composition can be combined with a productcommercially available from Forta Corporation under the trade name SuperSweep®.

The crimped reinforcement fibers of the invention can be used in a widevariety of cementious materials. Suitable examples include hydrauliccements that include calcium, aluminum, silicon, oxygen and/or sulfur,which set and harden by reaction with water. Such hydraulic cementsinclude, but are not limited to, Portland cements, pozzolana cements,gypsum cements, high-alumina-content cements, slag cements, silicacements and combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the hydrauliccement may include a portland cement.

In one embodiment, the crimped reinforcement fibers of the invention areused in a cement composition which includes cement and water. The watermay be freshwater, saltwater, brines, (e.g., water containing one ormore salts dissolved therein), seawater or combinations thereof. Ingeneral, the water may be present in an amount sufficient to form apumpable slurry. In particular embodiments, the water may be present inthe cement compositions in an amount of from about 33% to about 200% byweight of the cement on a dry basis. As previously described, optionaladditives and fillers may also be included in the cement composition.

The crimped or deformed reinforcement fibers of the invention can beused in a wide variety of applications. For example, the crimpedreinforcement fibers can be used as a reinforcement component tobuilding and construction materials, such as concrete, including asphaltcement concrete and Portland cement concrete and the like, in, forexample, structural pavements, airport runways and tarmacs, bridge deckoverlays, floors, and pre-cast concrete products. The crimpedreinforcement fibers of the invention may also be used for repair,rehabilitation, retrofit, and renovation of existing products orstructures, such as, for example, in overlays, and repairs of airportpavements, bridge decks, parking areas, roadways, and the like,including patching and filling potholes.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Comparison of Crimped Reinforcement Fibers withNon-Crimped Reinforcement Fibers

About 2.5 grams of non-crimped fibers were obtained. The non-crimpedfibers were composed of polypropylene fibers treated with a hydrophilicsurfactant. All fibers were 0.5 inch, 4.0 denier. The non-crimped fiberswere added to one cup of water in a transparent container and mixedthoroughly. On the surface of the fiber and water mixture was placed aplurality of 1.5 gram weights. FIG. 1 shows that the non-crimped fiberswere incapable of suspending any of these weights. Each of the weightsfell to the bottom of the container. Further, on the surface of thefiber and water mixture was placed a conventional spoon. FIG. 2 showsthat the non-crimped fibers were incapable of suspending the spoon. Thespoon fell to the bottom or the container. There were heavier weightsavailable for testing, however, since the non-crimped fiber wasincapable of suspending these lowest weights, none of the heavierweights were tested.

About 2.5 grams of crimped fibers were obtained. The crimped fibers werecomposed of polypropylene fibers treated with a hydrophilic surfactant.All fibers were 0.5 inch, 4.0 denier, having 6.0 crimps per inch. Thecrimps in the fibers were mechanically produced in a crimper boxmanufactured by DM&E Corporation. The crimped fibers were added to onecup of water in a transparent container and mixed thoroughly. On thesurface of the fiber and water mixture was placed each of the followingweight samples.

Ten—3.6 gram weights;

Seven—7.2 gram weights; and

A conventional spoon.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, respectively, show that the crimped fibers werecapable of suspending all of these weight samples in the crimpedfibers/water mixture.

Example 2 Comparison of Crimped Reinforcement Fibers with Non-CrimpedReinforcement Fibers

About 5.0 grams of non-crimped fibers were added to two cups of water ina transparent container and mixed thoroughly. The non-crimped fiberswere composed of polypropylene fibers treated with a hydrophilicsurfactant. All fibers were 0.5 inch, 4.0 denier. On the surface of thefiber and water mixture was placed a plurality of 1.5 gram weights. FIG.6 shows that the non-crimped fibers were incapable of suspending any ofthese weights. Each of the weights fell to the bottom of the container.Further, on the surface of the fiber and water mixture was placed aconventional spoon. FIG. 7 shows that the non-crimped fibers wereincapable of suspending the spoon. The spoon fell to the bottom of thecontainer. There were heavier weights available for testing, however,since the non-crimped fiber was incapable of suspending these lowestweights, none of the heavier weights were tested.

About 5.0 grams of crimped fibers were added to two cups of water in atransparent container and mixed thoroughly. The crimped fibers werecomposed of polypropylene fibers treated with a hydrophilic surfactant.All fibers were 0.5 inch, 4.0 denier, having 6.0 crimps per inch. On thesurface of the fiber and water mixture was placed each of the followingweights.

Seven—7.2 gram weights;

A conventional spoon;

Ten—3.6 gram weights and seven—7.2 gram weights.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, respectively, show that the crimped fibers werecapable of suspending all of these weight samples in the crimpedfibers/water mixture.

Example 3 Nozzle Alignment of Fibers

A plurality of non-crimped fibers and a separate plurality of crimpedfibers were placed on a flat surface. The non-crimped and crimped fiberswere composed of polypropylene fibers treated with a hydrophilicsurfactant. All fibers were 0.5 inch, 4.0 denier. The crimped fibers had6.0 crimps per inch. Each of the fiber samples was subjected to lightpressure. Air was discharged from an air cleaning nozzle at lightpressure (10 psi) pressure directed to the fibers. It was demonstratedthat the crimped fibers aligned horizontally in a shorter period of timeas compared with the alignment of the non-crimped fibers. FIG. 11 showsthe alignment of the crimped fibers following about 2 seconds ofexposure to the light pressure and FIG. 12 shows the alignment of thenon-crimped fibers following about 2 seconds of exposure to the lightpressure. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, respectively, the crimped fibersare substantially aligned and the non-crimped fibers remainsubstantially unaligned.

Results

The crimped (e.g., w-shaped, s-shaped, and wedge-shaped) fibers clearlyexhibited an improved ability to suspend weighted objects as compared tothe non-crimped, i.e., straight, fibers. Thus, without being bound byany particular theory, it is believed that the crimped fibers can beeffective as a moving filter or particle carrier.

Further, in the Examples, unopened fiber bundles were used todemonstrate the nozzle effect on fibers because individual fibers maynot have been as easily photographed. However, when individual fiberswere used, they were found to align at least as well and even betterthan the fiber bundles shown in FIG. 8. The ability of the crimpedfibers to align in a horizontal direction to the nozzle can also beindicative of these fibers being effective as carriers under pressure.Without intending to be bound by any theory, it is believed that theshape is able to create an improved surface area to hold and control theload as compared to those fibers without crimps. It will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art that changes could be made to theembodiments described above without departing from the broad inventiveconcept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is notlimited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended tocover modifications that are within the spirit and scope of theinvention, as defined by the appended claims.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and alternatives to those details could be developed inlight of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, theparticular embodiments disclosed are meant to be illustrative only andnot limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given thefull breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A modified reinforcement fiber, comprising: areinforcement fiber having a length; and a deformation formed in thelength, wherein the deformation includes at least one crimp
 2. Themodified reinforcement fiber of claim 1, wherein there is six crimpsoccurring in the length.
 3. The modified reinforcement fiber of claim 1,wherein the fiber is composed of material selected from the groupconsisting of polyolefin, aramid, and nylon.
 4. The modifiedreinforcement fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber is composed ofmaterial selected from the group consisting of polyethylene,polypropylene, and aramid.
 5. A reinforcement fiber composition,comprising: a plurality of reinforcement fibers, at least a portion ofthe plurality of reinforcement fibers comprises a plurality of modifiedreinforcement fibers each having a length and a deformation formed inthe length, wherein the deformation includes at least one crimp
 6. Thecomposition of claim 5, wherein the composition comprises polyolefinreinforcement fibers, aramid reinforcement fibers, nylon reinforcementfibers and blends thereof.
 7. The composition of claim 5, wherein thecomposition comprises polyethylene reinforcement fibers, polypropylenereinforcement fibers, aramid reinforcement fibers and blends thereof. 8.The composition of claim 5, wherein the composition comprises a blend ofmodified reinforcement fibers and non-modified reinforcement fibers. 9.A method of preparing a modified reinforcement fiber, comprising:providing an original reinforcement fiber having a substantially linearshape; forming a deformation in the original reinforcement fiber byforming at least one crimp in the linear shape of the fiber; anddeforming the linear shape of the original reinforcement fiber toproduce a modified reinforcement fiber.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the deforming of the linear shape comprises a reinforcementfiber having a shape selected from the group consisting of w-shaped,s-shaped, z-shaped and wedge-shaped.
 11. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising employing the modified reinforcement fiber as lostcirculation material by adding a plurality to a cementitious compositionor fluid for use in drilling well bores.